You just gotta love the street car mechanic.

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
I was driving by and happen to come by my favorite corner where they do fancy car work example: tinting the windows, chopo boombox car stereo installation, fixing the automatic windows of car and door electronic repair, car alarm, transmission gear shift lock (multilock) and all the rest of car electrical / electronic problems. This is called auto adorno shop.
Anyway, I had a few problems in my old Toyota: high beam lights switch didn?t work, the ceiling light was also dead (new bulb but no light). I stopped by the electrician and disturbed him while he was eating. I simply told him what needed to be done and left him the keys. I went to eat myself on foot. I spent a good 30 minutes walking, eating and resting. Then when I came back, I saw the old man in full swing action. He had my car steering out, along with 100 screws and a bunch of wires. Obviously he had taken the switch out for the lights. He then just disappeared to no where with my switch. I don?t know whether he rebuilt it, cleaned it or simply bought another used one. I didn?t care as I only cared about the end result. Needless to tell the whole story,he came back with the switch and was done with my car in 1 hr and 30 mins. The car hi beams were working fine, the ceiling light was also lit and there were a few other minor glitches that he also resolved. Total cost 200 pesos (9 dollars). I gave him 50 pesos tip and drove off a happy man.

Now on my side a man was getting the power window fixed in his Mitsubishi SUV. Apparently his electrical motor for bringing his glass up and down had failed. They took apart the inside of his door. Took out the electrical motor, rebuilt it or simply replaced it with another used one. Total coast: 150 pesos for the rebuilt motor and 100 pesos for labor. 250 total. Just imagine how much it would have cost him in USA?

AZB
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
5,808
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Total cost 200 pesos (9 dollars). I gave him 50 pesos tip and drove off a happy man.B

You have your "6" upside down AZB (200 pesos = approx. 6 dollars).

Parts and repairs are cheap here, that's for sure.

I bought two used front doors for about 50 bucks U.S. each, they included power windows and power door locks. I did my own transfer of all the parts and the electrical wiring, I just wanted the power windows and power door locks, also changed the inside panels so that I had the switches. Just the one power window motor would have cost me more than what I paid for both the doors if I bought it in the states. (I also now have two good spare front doors to boot).

But be careful, the other day I was parked near a muffler repair shop. One of the guys came over and said my muffler was loose and needed to be welded. Note, he did not see my car in motion. He grabbed the tail pipe and showed me how it would move.

I said thanks, but no thanks.

I looked under the car, the muffler is designed to move a little, it is mounted with shock absorbing rubber type mounts. Guess he thought he had an easy mark with a dumb gringo.
 

joseinoa

New member
Jan 20, 2005
184
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0
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OMG AZB tell me about it bout a month ago i drove by a huge puddle in the intersection of 27 de febrero and estrella sadhala you know the river that forms there. but anyway the alternator on my montero got wet and went bad .i took it to the best electrician ive ever met his name is Julio Lebron btw his shop is next to the palacio de justicia whoever wants to know. left it there at 8am i went back at 10am and he had opened it into about a million pieces. 20 minutes later everything was perfect again. cost: 400 pesos. the moral of the story is back in the states they would have trashed it and replaced it with a new one for about 150 dollars plus labor. but not in good ol' dr. god i love my country.
 
Sep 19, 2005
4,632
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my gfs uncle was having his motorcycle repaired out in the driveway and I went to watch. they guy was looking to replace the timing chain apparently, ashe thought that would solve the issue.....out in the dust with some rags on the ground . He took it apart and put it together three times and didnt like the sound of the motor....so he took the whole case apart piston and connecting rod and all....he went to buy a new camshaft!!!! came back and put that in and messed with the carbs. Actually his motorcycle and the other uncles are all the same as the one being repaired. so he played musical carbwerators till he heard what he wanted, then rpaired the original to sound the same....anyway I thought I would helpt the uncle and gave him 500 pesos when one of them went to pick up the first wave of parts. He bought a new tire, a timing chain, two inner tubes a quart of engine oil, some rubber foot rests and some rubber handles for the grips...and then gave me back 200 pesos!! I told him to keep it, and that worked out because he eventually went to buy the camshaft, and a headlight and a fender!!!! by the end of the day he had taken that thing apart at least four times and back together, and it ran great!!!!

of course the next day I saw the drunk uncle try to get up a little incline by the house and he fell off the motorcycle!!! I guess that new light wont last long!!!! ha ha ha ha..

4mi5h8p.jpg


bob
 

flo

New member
Apr 11, 2006
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if you people beliieve dominicans are good mecanics and you think they know what there doing, you must be totally insane.
whatever they fix may work for some time, but the srews they loose the plastic parts they break and the other stuff they break is not worth the cheap labor.
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
3,563
0
0
Years ago, when my neighbors in Las Lomas de Azua traded in their burros for old second hand 50 cc Yamahas and Hondas, I told them they would regret it. Now, I'm astounded at their ingenuity of keeping those old dilapidated bikes running. They obviously have an innate flair for mechanics.
 
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AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
if you people beliieve dominicans are good mecanics and you think they know what there doing, you must be totally insane.
whatever they fix may work for some time, but the srews they loose the plastic parts they break and the other stuff they break is not worth the cheap labor.

You only let the street mechanics touch the easy jobs, never the engine or transmission. I let them change my bushing of the car, rubber boots that cover the punta de eje (drive shafts), shocks and other small stuff. The engine repair is done by a Venezuelan mechanic who really knows what he is doing. Now when I mean a street mechanic, I don't mean a drunk off the street to repair my car. I mean a street mechanic who is well known by others. A mechanic who is stationed next to a well established business. These guys know their work well. They simply buy the parts from the store and then fix your car on the spot. I know a few things about the cars so I am always there to supervise the job and make sure its done right. It always has worked for me. I love the street mechanics and have been using them for years.
AZB
 

El Diego

New member
Apr 24, 2006
191
2
0
You only let the street mechanics touch the easy jobs, never the engine or transmission. I let them change my bushing of the car, rubber boots that cover the punta de eje (drive shafts), shocks and other small stuff. The engine repair is done by a Venezuelan mechanic who really knows what he is doing. Now when I mean a street mechanic, I don't mean a drunk off the street to repair my car. I mean a street mechanic who is well known by others. A mechanic who is stationed next to a well established business. These guys know their work well. They simply buy the parts from the store and then fix your car on the spot. I know a few things about the cars so I am always there to supervise the job and make sure its done right. It always has worked for me. I love the street mechanics and have been using them for years.
AZB

AZB,
which venezuelan mechanic is it that you recommend? and where is he
located?

i've been to a mechanic you recommended in one of your old posts:
maestro Carlos shop (off estrella sadhala, calle de padres) and he's been good so far and reasonable priced.
 

sjh

aka - shadley
Jan 1, 2002
969
2
0
52
www.geocities.com
they are great at keeping old junk up and running, but dont let them near anything new. Stripped screws, using a hammer and screwdriver to remove bolts, using plyers on hex bolts, its a nightmare!!!

headlights installed upsidedown or pointing at the sky, reversing high and low beams, broken door locks, damaged radiators while replacing other items, undersized wire, and other fun
 

DR Mpe

Banned
Mar 31, 2003
1,191
36
48
I was driving by and happen to come by my favorite corner where they do fancy car work example: tinting the windows, chopo boombox car stereo installation, fixing the automatic windows of car and door electronic repair, car alarm, transmission gear shift lock (multilock) and all the rest of car electrical / electronic problems. This is called auto adorno shop.
Anyway, I had a few problems in my old Toyota: high beam lights switch didn?t work, the ceiling light was also dead (new bulb but no light). I stopped by the electrician and disturbed him while he was eating. I simply told him what needed to be done and left him the keys. I went to eat myself on foot. I spent a good 30 minutes walking, eating and resting. Then when I came back, I saw the old man in full swing action. He had my car steering out, along with 100 screws and a bunch of wires. Obviously he had taken the switch out for the lights. He then just disappeared to no where with my switch. I don?t know whether he rebuilt it, cleaned it or simply bought another used one. I didn?t care as I only cared about the end result. Needless to tell the whole story,he came back with the switch and was done with my car in 1 hr and 30 mins. The car hi beams were working fine, the ceiling light was also lit and there were a few other minor glitches that he also resolved. Total cost 200 pesos (9 dollars). I gave him 50 pesos tip and drove off a happy man.

Now on my side a man was getting the power window fixed in his Mitsubishi SUV. Apparently his electrical motor for bringing his glass up and down had failed. They took apart the inside of his door. Took out the electrical motor, rebuilt it or simply replaced it with another used one. Total coast: 150 pesos for the rebuilt motor and 100 pesos for labor. 250 total. Just imagine how much it would have cost him in USA?

AZB

You left the car?? Do you have a "new" battery now also?? ;)
 

AZB

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
12,290
519
113
AZB,
which venezuelan mechanic is it that you recommend? and where is he
located?

i've been to a mechanic you recommended in one of your old posts:
maestro Carlos shop (off estrella sadhala, calle de padres) and he's been good so far and reasonable priced.

This mechanic is my new discovery. The trick is, you have to catch him there when he is there because he also goes to New york to work there for dollars. His taller (work shop) is on Independencia with general lopez. Just turn into Independencia (one way street) from General lopez and its right in the corner. Ask for "chamo" he is the venezuelan. he is the best.
AZB